1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sidebody structure of a motor vehicle and more particularly to a center pillar structure capable of minimizing damage which passengers may suffers in the event of a side collision.
2. Prior Art
It is well known that a reinforced center pillar or side door is effective for protecting passengers when a side impact is applied to the vehicle in a direction width-wise thereof. Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication Laid-open No. Jitsu-Kai-Hei 4-81887 discloses one approach to increase the strength and rigidity of the center pillar by inserting reinforcement members therein so as to reduce the amount of deformation of the center pillar, thereby protecting occupants in an event of a side collision.
This approach of strengthening the sidebody structure like a center pillar or a side door is effective in a vehicle having a relatively large size and heavy weight. In the case of a vehicle of a relatively small size, since such vehicle is not allowed to secure enough space between occupants and its sidebody structure, the approach of raising strength of the sidebody structure, which needs some degree of weight for reinforcing members, spoils such advantages of small cars as light weight, low manufacturing cost and the like, when comparing the effect of the approach with an increased weight.
Therefore, in the case of a small car, it is necessary to introduce a different approach from the aforementioned one. An example of the approach taken in the present invention is to protect passengers by constituting the sidebody structure in such a way that the center pillar swings like a pendulum inwardly around a connecting portion thereof with the side rail when a side impact is applied (i.e., the center pillar pivots about a pivot point). Then, at the same time, the passenger seat swings like a pendulum inwardly, and thereby the passenger is prevented from being hit by the incoming center pillar.